A lesson from Forrest Gump...

New Things Coming...

Hey everyone, ok so, I'm a total slacker when it comes to updating my xanga.  Lately, I've been a little distracted.  I hope I don't get burned at the stake for this, but... I go a myspace website!  aaahahahhaaaaaaahhhhh oh no! ow oo ouch! ok stop.  The only reason I did it was to get some recordings of me on the web to kind of "test the waters."

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

I'm starting college again.  Yes, you read correctly.  I'll be taking 12 credits this spring at Southwestern College.  It's a bible college here in Phoenix.  It's not a big school but that's ok.  I'll be glad to get back to school and handle this degree thing.  I'm really more excited about preparing myself for ministry in the future. 

Speaking of ministry, God has a way of working things out.  Upon the recommendation of church leaders, I'll be resigning from my staff position at church and I'll be going to school full-time.  My pastor encouraged me not to work so that I can focus on my studies.  My friend wants to rent an apartment with me but with no income I don't know about that.  It's different for me to not have income.  I don't know what to do, but my pastor encourages me that "the Lord will provide."  well...if not through my own efforts then through who?  I guess that's the lesson I'm supposed to learn.

With tuition due, Christmas in a few days, continued living expenses and school starting January 9th, everyday that passes I get closer to that moment of truth... should I break down and get a part-time job or should I trust what my pastor said and let God provide something for me?  If you read my posts please pray for me, cuz honestly I'm a little unsettled.

I pray that through this I would allow myself to be shaped by the Lord into the man of God that He desires for me to be.  To Him be all glory, honor and praise.

-Jason

I have concluded that short xanga entries get about the same attention as long ones.  No one comments anyways.

Thanks to all those who have left feedback.  While I was doing a gospel hip hop/dance mix radio show I learned of a well known statistic in the broadcasting industry that states of all your listeners only about 10% will ever respond or contact you at any given opportunity. 

Well if that's true, then I'm doing better than the industry.  Thanks to all my friends and even a few new brave souls who didn't really know what to say. 

I've been working out lately.  At the beginning of the summer I weighed as much as 186 lbs.  Then we had a basketball summer league and I was suffering.  I was slower and older than everyone else.  Now while you may be laughing right now, it inspired me to get back into shape. 

So now I've been working out, I've set some goals for myself to keep me on track.  One goal is to see my six pack by Thanksgiving.  Now while some of you may be laughing even more than before, I DO have a six pack...it's just burried underneath my belly.  My second goal is to be able to slam dunk a basketball by my next birthday which is June 10.  At this point it doesn't really matter how old I'll be because there are plenty of people around my age who can still dunk a ball. 

Now that you're all rolling on the ground laughing at me, or think that I'm crazy weird, I'm happy to report that I've shed about 15 lbs of fat.  I consistently weigh in at about 173 lbs.  So that's all for now.  Check back with me around Thanksgiving.  If you're really nice to me maybe I'll show you my abs.  Until then I'm still workin' it. - Jason

Love is like a rainbow.  It's made of many different colors, some are bright and some are dark, but all together it is beautiful.

Here's one of the dark shades of love:

Love hurts...

Did you ever wonder what it takes for God to love us?  Just think of all that He is, well, He is love, but He also displayed His love to us through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus as the ultimate payment for our sins. 

Did you ever wonder what it feels like for God when we still sin?  It's like when you love someone with all your heart but they choose to do things that hurt you.  Like when the person you love can't decide whether or not you mean enough to them, so one day they say "I love you forever," then a couple days later they could care less about how you feel.

In light of my recent thoughts on God's love, I can't help but compare my own love to His.  I think of my love for Him and my love for others.  Am I completely devoted to God?  Do I truly love others the way God loves them? 

I want to love God more in the way that pleases Him.  I want to make Him my first priority in life.  Not my own selfish persuits.  Through the pain and trials of this world's system I must make it my goal to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. 

Then I must love my neighbor as myself.  Of course it's impossible for me to love others exactly as God loves them.  I am only human.  But to love others as much as I would love myself, that is my aspiration, no more and no less.  I hope to love others despite the pain that it may cause because the love that God gives is faithful.

Lord, forgive me when I place myself above you.  Help me love you most and others as myself.  Help me be strong through love's pains so that the message of Your true love can shine through.  I ask this in Jesus name.

- Jason